This Prompts Joy: Week of October 21st

The internet has long been accused of being a toxic, harmful place, full of conflict and anonymous trolls. It’s hard to deny that, in a general sense, but let us brag on ourselves a little bit. Because since our launch in September 2016, The Prompt has largely avoided that awful spirit, instead finding real personal connection through creative writing, good ideas, and good people. Honestly, it’s been quite a tonic to meet strangers on the internet that are so deeply earnest and good in their souls. 

To extend that positive vibe into your lives a bit more, we’re starting a new content segment called This Prompts Joy, in which we will each share something positive or worthwhile that got us through the week. Each week, we will publish a miniprompt of the things that filled our cold, bleak, post-apocalyptic hearts with happiness, pride, gratitude, peace, interest, amusement, and so on.

The Prompt Mag: Proof that the internet isn’t completely terrible™

Jillian Conochan

Last weekend I attended a backyard wedding—and while I could rave about the unseasonably beautiful October weather, the creative bride and her Beetlejuice themed parting gifts (pothos plants she spent all year propagating), her sweet daughter who shared a chaise with me when the night grew long in the tooth, or my husband Nick nerding out with college friends from all across the country—instead I want to write about a +1 I met there.

Throughout the night, Karen made sure to grab extra chairs if someone was boxed out of a conversation; she invented weird gin shots when that’s the spirit that was available; she organized this group of distant brothers into photos that they would have lamented not taking. The perfect wedding date.

But to call Karen a +1 is a little unfair. She is actually the partner of Nick’s fraternity brother, and while he’s had the pleasure of meeting her twice prior, this was my first time meeting her. When we arrived at the wedding, she ran out to their rented car to get a box of See’s Candies for us, a token from the Bay Area where they traveled from. “I know you like the Taiwanese candies I make, but we were a little rushed when we left.”

Throughout the night, I learned Karen won a green card in a lottery. She had a good life in Taiwan, but applied on a lark and was selected on a long shot. She moved to Miami, rented a room, and continued her studies before being hand-picked to be a flight attendant because of her fluency in English and Mandarin. She explained to me that in Asia, flight attendants are usually models in their early 20s, so she didn’t understand how someone like her would even be a candidate.

It had never even occurred to Karen that her talent for language combined with her quiet graciousness would make her a good candidate for nearly any role. I will think about her often.

V. Buritsch

Right now I’m participating in a paper cutting challenge that is along the same lines as Inktober: it’s Cutober season, and seeing all of the art that comes out of this month brings me immense amounts of joy. Artists that are doing WIPtober (work in progress), keep doing your thing. If you are doing Inktober or Artober, either every prompt, every other prompt, or just when the prompt hits just right, you are amazing—and keep it up. And if you are a paper cutter like me, doing hand cut paper art for each day in October, I believe in you! You are the magic that keeps me going this month. Don’t stop… not if you can help it. Rock those prompts, post ‘em, and I hope I will see you next year.

Devin Householder

Last Sunday was a perfect fall morning. I rose well before dawn, slipped into my running gear and snuck out the door before the dogs awoke. I hadn’t run the Newport, Rhode Island Half Marathon in 7 years, and the sheer number of people queuing up at Easton’s Beach was shocking. Just before the starting gun, I found my friend and her husband, the local daughter of a friend I watched grow up. Now she’s 30+ and crushing life. We laughed about me at her high school cross country races, barking out split times, and chasing her to the finish line each week towards another PR.

We ran together for a few miles. Should we go for under 2 hours? she ventured. Soon I would nod them both ahead, their youthful energy unmatchable on this day. I felt great, but tired. As I passed 9 miles I saw her, our paths intersected, the infectious burst of inexhaustible joy beamed from her. I smiled, a little extra wind suddenly in my sail.

Slow and steady now wins the races I tackle in life. Two hours, seven minutes was once so pedestrian, but it was exactly how I’d trained. I felt good. She’d run 1:59:19, forty seconds under her spur-of-the-moment goal. Her hubby logged his first marathon in 3:52, eight minutes under his 4-hour target.

The free beer in the beer garden tasted pretty good at 9:30 A.M. My wife and kid then walked me across the street to a sports bar where I sipped mimosas while watching my suddenly dominant Chicago Bears dismember the Jags in London. It just doesn’t get much better!!

After an afternoon shower I plopped on the couch and slept the triumphant sleep of kings. 

Sarah Razner

One of my favorite things about living in Wisconsin is that we experience all the seasons, from sweltering hot days to blizzards leaving two feet of snow. Of all of Mother Nature’s costume changes, fall is my favorite. Leaves turn vibrant, Bath & Body Works puts out their best scents of the year (challenge me on it), and it’s finally time to layer up.

After an extended summer, this week our temperatures finally cooled enough that I could break out the fall wardrobe. Out came the trenchcoats, the plaid skirts and tights, the sweaters, and the boots. I could practically squeal while writing about it. Is it a bit materialistic to be so excited about clothing? Probably, but then again, there are worse things than printed pullovers to find joy in.